# BC Geographical Names Web Service - REST API API

> BC Geographical Names Web Service - REST API API on Apizie: 14 endpoints (Get all feature categories, Get all feature classes, Get all feature types, Get a feature by its featureId, …) returned as clean JSON through one API key. 14 endpoints are live now. Call it over REST at https://zieapi.vercel.app/v1/open-data:gov-bc-ca-bcgnws/{endpoint} or from Claude, ChatGPT and Cursor through the Apizie MCP server. Free plan: 1,000 requests a month.

- Project key: `open-data:gov-bc-ca-bcgnws`
- Category: Open Data
- Status: live
- Source: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content?id=A3C60F17CE934B1ABFA366F28C66E370
- Page: https://zieapi.vercel.app/api/open-data/gov-bc-ca-bcgnws
- OpenAPI: https://zieapi.vercel.app/api/open-data/gov-bc-ca-bcgnws/openapi.json

This REST API provides searchable access to information about geographical names in the province of British Columbia, including name status and details about the corresponding geographic feature. Please note that you…

## Endpoints

### Get all feature categories
`GET https://zieapi.vercel.app/v1/open-data:gov-bc-ca-bcgnws/get-feature-categories`

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| outputFormat | string | yes | The format of the output. |

### Get all feature classes
`GET https://zieapi.vercel.app/v1/open-data:gov-bc-ca-bcgnws/get-feature-classes`

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| outputFormat | string | yes | The format of the output. |

### Get all feature types
`GET https://zieapi.vercel.app/v1/open-data:gov-bc-ca-bcgnws/get-feature-types`

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| outputFormat | string | yes | The format of the output. |

### Get a feature by its featureId
`GET https://zieapi.vercel.app/v1/open-data:gov-bc-ca-bcgnws/get-features-feature-id`

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| featureId | integer | yes | The unique identifier for a feature |

### Get all name authorities
`GET https://zieapi.vercel.app/v1/open-data:gov-bc-ca-bcgnws/get-name-authorities`

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| outputFormat | string | yes | The format of the output. |

### Search for names with metadata changes in a given period
`GET https://zieapi.vercel.app/v1/open-data:gov-bc-ca-bcgnws/get-names-changes`

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| outputFormat | string | yes | The format of the output. |
| fromDate | integer | yes | Defines the earliest date (YYYY-MM-DD format) of the change time window for the search |
| toDate | integer | yes | Defines the latest date (YYYY-MM-DD format) of the change time window for the search |
| featureClass | string | no | A filter to limit the search to names associated with features of a certain 'class' The value of this parameter should be a… |
| featureCategory | string | no | A filter to limit the search to names associated with features of a certain 'category' The value of this parameter should be a… |
| featureType | string | no | A filter to limit the search to names associated with features of a certain 'type' The value of this parameter should be a… |
| sortBy | string | no | The distance to move the accessPoint away from the curb and towards the inside of the parcel (in metres). Ignored if locationDescriptor… |
| outputSRS | integer | no | The EPSG code of the spatial reference system (SRS) to use for output geometries. |
| embed | integer | no | A flag to indicate whether to embed the corresponding 'feature' into each matching name |
| outputStyle | string | no | A flag indicating whether to include with each matching name a succinct list of attributes (summary), or a comprehensive list of… |
| itemsPerPage | integer | no | The number of search results to return (1-200) |
| startIndex | integer | no | The index of the first record to be returned (>= 1) |

### Search for names affected by recent naming decision
`GET https://zieapi.vercel.app/v1/open-data:gov-bc-ca-bcgnws/get-names-decisions-recent`

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| outputFormat | string | yes | The format of the output. |
| days | integer | yes | The number of days used to define the time window of naming decisions to search. The number is interpreted as searching for 'names… |
| featureClass | string | no | A filter to limit the search to names associated with features of a certain 'class' The value of this parameter should be a… |
| featureCategory | string | no | A filter to limit the search to names associated with features of a certain 'category' The value of this parameter should be a… |
| featureType | string | no | A filter to limit the search to names associated with features of a certain 'type' The value of this parameter should be a… |
| sortBy | string | no | The distance to move the accessPoint away from the curb and towards the inside of the parcel (in metres). Ignored if locationDescriptor… |
| outputSRS | integer | no | The EPSG code of the spatial reference system (SRS) to use for output geometries. |
| embed | integer | no | A flag to indicate whether to embed the corresponding 'feature' into each matching name |
| outputStyle | string | no | A flag indicating whether to include with each matching name a succinct list of attributes (summary), or a comprehensive list of… |
| itemsPerPage | integer | no | The number of search results to return (1-200) |
| startIndex | integer | no | The index of the first record to be returned (>= 1) |

### Search for names affected by naming decisions in a given year
`GET https://zieapi.vercel.app/v1/open-data:gov-bc-ca-bcgnws/get-names-decisions-year`

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| outputFormat | string | yes | The format of the output. |
| year | integer | yes | The year in which to search for names affected by naming decisions'. |
| featureClass | string | no | A filter to limit the search to names associated with features of a certain 'class' The value of this parameter should be a… |
| featureCategory | string | no | A filter to limit the search to names associated with features of a certain 'category' The value of this parameter should be a… |
| featureType | string | no | A filter to limit the search to names associated with features of a certain 'type' The value of this parameter should be a… |
| sortBy | string | no | The distance to move the accessPoint away from the curb and towards the inside of the parcel (in metres). Ignored if locationDescriptor… |
| outputSRS | integer | no | The EPSG code of the spatial reference system (SRS) to use for output geometries. |
| embed | integer | no | A flag to indicate whether to embed the corresponding 'feature' into each matching name |
| outputStyle | string | no | A flag indicating whether to include with each matching name a succinct list of attributes (summary), or a comprehensive list of… |
| itemsPerPage | integer | no | The number of search results to return (1-200) |
| startIndex | integer | no | The index of the first record to be returned (>= 1) |

### Search in a geographic area
`GET https://zieapi.vercel.app/v1/open-data:gov-bc-ca-bcgnws/get-names-inside`

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| outputFormat | string | yes | The format of the output. |
| bbox | string | yes | A geographic bounding box defining the search area. Must be specified as a string of the form… |
| featureClass | string | no | A filter to limit the search to names associated with features of a certain 'class' The value of this parameter should be a… |
| featureCategory | string | no | A filter to limit the search to names associated with features of a certain 'category' The value of this parameter should be a… |
| featureType | string | no | A filter to limit the search to names associated with features of a certain 'type' The value of this parameter should be a… |
| sortBy | string | no | The distance to move the accessPoint away from the curb and towards the inside of the parcel (in metres). Ignored if locationDescriptor… |
| outputSRS | integer | no | The EPSG code of the spatial reference system (SRS) to use for output geometries. |
| embed | integer | no | A flag to indicate whether to embed the corresponding 'feature' into each matching name |
| outputStyle | string | no | A flag indicating whether to include with each matching name a succinct list of attributes (summary), or a comprehensive list of… |
| itemsPerPage | integer | no | The number of search results to return (1-200) |
| startIndex | integer | no | The index of the first record to be returned (>= 1) |

### Search near to a geographic point
`GET https://zieapi.vercel.app/v1/open-data:gov-bc-ca-bcgnws/get-names-near`

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| outputFormat | string | yes | The format of the output. |
| featurePoint | string | yes | A geographic coordinate specifying the centre point of the search area. Must be specified as a string of the form 'longitude,latitude'… |
| distance | string | yes | A radius (in kilometres) around the centre point. |
| featureClass | string | no | A filter to limit the search to names associated with features of a certain 'class' The value of this parameter should be a… |
| featureCategory | string | no | A filter to limit the search to names associated with features of a certain 'category' The value of this parameter should be a… |
| featureType | string | no | A filter to limit the search to names associated with features of a certain 'type' The value of this parameter should be a… |
| sortBy | string | no | The distance to move the accessPoint away from the curb and towards the inside of the parcel (in metres). Ignored if locationDescriptor… |
| outputSRS | integer | no | The EPSG code of the spatial reference system (SRS) to use for output geometries. |
| embed | integer | no | A flag to indicate whether to embed the corresponding 'feature' into each matching name |
| outputStyle | string | no | A flag indicating whether to include with each matching name a succinct list of attributes (summary), or a comprehensive list of… |
| itemsPerPage | integer | no | The number of search results to return (1-200) |
| startIndex | integer | no | The index of the first record to be returned (>= 1) |

### Search by name, limit to unofficial names only
`GET https://zieapi.vercel.app/v1/open-data:gov-bc-ca-bcgnws/get-names-not-official-search`

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| outputFormat | string | yes | The format of the output. |
| name | string | yes | A filter to search based on the the text of the name itself. Use the asterisk (*) as a wildcard character. For example 'vancouv*' |
| exactSpelling | integer | no | If the 'name' parameter is specified, 'exactSpelling' specifies whether to include only names that exactly match the search text… |
| featureClass | string | no | A filter to limit the search to names associated with features of a certain 'class' The value of this parameter should be a… |
| featureCategory | string | no | A filter to limit the search to names associated with features of a certain 'category' The value of this parameter should be a… |
| featureType | string | no | A filter to limit the search to names associated with features of a certain 'type' The value of this parameter should be a… |
| sortBy | string | no | The distance to move the accessPoint away from the curb and towards the inside of the parcel (in metres). Ignored if locationDescriptor… |
| outputSRS | integer | no | The EPSG code of the spatial reference system (SRS) to use for output geometries. |
| embed | integer | no | A flag to indicate whether to embed the corresponding 'feature' into each matching name |
| outputStyle | string | no | A flag indicating whether to include with each matching name a succinct list of attributes (summary), or a comprehensive list of… |
| itemsPerPage | integer | no | The number of search results to return (1-200) |
| startIndex | integer | no | The index of the first record to be returned (>= 1) |

### Search by name, limit to official names only
`GET https://zieapi.vercel.app/v1/open-data:gov-bc-ca-bcgnws/get-names-official-search`

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| outputFormat | string | yes | The format of the output. |
| name | string | yes | A filter to search based on the the text of the name itself. Use the asterisk (*) as a wildcard character. For example 'vancouv*' |
| exactSpelling | integer | no | If the 'name' parameter is specified, 'exactSpelling' specifies whether to include only names that exactly match the search text… |
| featureClass | string | no | A filter to limit the search to names associated with features of a certain 'class' The value of this parameter should be a… |
| featureCategory | string | no | A filter to limit the search to names associated with features of a certain 'category' The value of this parameter should be a… |
| featureType | string | no | A filter to limit the search to names associated with features of a certain 'type' The value of this parameter should be a… |
| sortBy | string | no | The distance to move the accessPoint away from the curb and towards the inside of the parcel (in metres). Ignored if locationDescriptor… |
| outputSRS | integer | no | The EPSG code of the spatial reference system (SRS) to use for output geometries. |
| embed | integer | no | A flag to indicate whether to embed the corresponding 'feature' into each matching name |
| outputStyle | string | no | A flag indicating whether to include with each matching name a succinct list of attributes (summary), or a comprehensive list of… |
| itemsPerPage | integer | no | The number of search results to return (1-200) |
| startIndex | integer | no | The index of the first record to be returned (>= 1) |

### Search by name
`GET https://zieapi.vercel.app/v1/open-data:gov-bc-ca-bcgnws/get-names-search`

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| outputFormat | string | yes | The format of the output. |
| name | string | yes | A filter to search based on the the text of the name itself. Use the asterisk (*) as a wildcard character. For example 'vancouv*' |
| exactSpelling | integer | no | If the 'name' parameter is specified, 'exactSpelling' specifies whether to include only names that exactly match the search text… |
| featureClass | string | no | A filter to limit the search to names associated with features of a certain 'class' The value of this parameter should be a… |
| featureCategory | string | no | A filter to limit the search to names associated with features of a certain 'category' The value of this parameter should be a… |
| featureType | string | no | A filter to limit the search to names associated with features of a certain 'type' The value of this parameter should be a… |
| sortBy | string | no | The distance to move the accessPoint away from the curb and towards the inside of the parcel (in metres). Ignored if locationDescriptor… |
| outputSRS | integer | no | The EPSG code of the spatial reference system (SRS) to use for output geometries. |
| embed | integer | no | A flag to indicate whether to embed the corresponding 'feature' into each matching name |
| outputStyle | string | no | A flag indicating whether to include with each matching name a succinct list of attributes (summary), or a comprehensive list of… |
| itemsPerPage | integer | no | The number of search results to return (1-200) |
| startIndex | integer | no | The index of the first record to be returned (>= 1) |

### Get a name by its nameId
`GET https://zieapi.vercel.app/v1/open-data:gov-bc-ca-bcgnws/get-names-name-id-output-format`

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| nameId | integer | yes | The unique identifier for a name |
| outputFormat | string | yes | The format of the output. |

## Example
```
curl "https://zieapi.vercel.app/v1/open-data:gov-bc-ca-bcgnws/get-feature-categories" \
  -H "x-api-key: $APIZIE_KEY"
```

## FAQ

### How do I call the BC Geographical Names Web Service - REST API API?
Create a free Apizie key, then send GET https://zieapi.vercel.app/v1/open-data:gov-bc-ca-bcgnws/get-feature-categories with the header x-api-key. Every endpoint returns { project, data, timestamp }.

### Is the BC Geographical Names Web Service - REST API API free on Apizie?
Yes. The Free plan includes 1,000 requests a month at 100 requests a minute, no credit card.

### Can AI agents use the BC Geographical Names Web Service - REST API API?
Yes. Add the Apizie MCP server (https://zieapi.vercel.app/mcp) to Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor or VS Code, then ask in plain language. The agent calls run_scraper with project key open-data:gov-bc-ca-bcgnws.

### What is the status of the BC Geographical Names Web Service - REST API API?
Live: works with just an Apizie key